


Heartbeat

by toskakine



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Community: detroitbecomehuman, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff, Kamcon eventually, M/M, Slow Burn, its 3rd person but really just from alex and ben's perspective, lmao theres barely any claudia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2020-05-19 12:12:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19356808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toskakine/pseuds/toskakine
Summary: The year is 2035, three years before the Android Revolution in Detroit, Illinois. Androids are a normal part of everyone's life, and unfortunately, "everyone" includes Benjamin Graye; a 20-year-old reporter for Stokes County Chronicles. In his tiny town of only 350 or so residents, he's never really experienced what city life is, and he prefers it that way. He never wanted an android, but when he begins to slip into a depressive state, he decides maybe it's time to update a bit. Conveniently, he was gifted an android three years prior, but never bothered pulling it out of the closet until his mother passed away.What was he going to do with an android?





	Heartbeat

Thursday, September 20th, 2035. 5:14 PM.

 

[System Reboot initializing..]

 

[Scanning for software errors..]

 

[No errors found.]

 

[Systems starting..]

 

"..What am I supposed to do to assign it a name again..?"

The android opened it's eyes to see a darkly skinned young man just outside of the closet where it had been stored. Judging by the sky's colour through a nearby window, it was late afternoon. The man seemed to take notice, looking up at the android with mild hesitation.

"Uh.. RK400, register your name."

It responded immediately in a neutral tone, "I already have a name registered by Ramon Graye. Would you like to initialize a system reset to enable you to change my name?"

The man looked alarmed by the android's statement, recognition flashing in his eyes. He looked.. solemn for a moment. "..No, don't change it. What name did he give you?"

"My name is Alexander, but Ramon always called me Alex." The man sighed, his light gray, almond shaped eyes offering too many emotions at once. Pain, loss, sadness, defeat, recognition.. so many feelings captured in the blue-silvery hues of his irises. The android only observed objectively, not curious as to why the statement sparked such a reaction. It was clear to Alex that he was holding something in, but he didn't say anything about it, of course. Why would he ask a question unprompted? It didn't matter to him; he was simply a machine.

"Alex it is, then." The man said with a twinge of sadness that was quickly masked by something resembling apathy. "I'm Benjamin.. but Ramon called me Ben."

"Hello, Ben."

Benjamin stared up at the android standing in front of him, sighing again and stepping back away from the closet where he had been kept before. "Uh.. I guess you're my android. I don't really have anything I need you to do, so I guess whatever you see needs to be taken care of, you can do it." He rubbed the back of his neck, looking off to his right with a slightly exasperated expression. The android's LED flickered with a spot of yellow as he registered Benjamin's emotions, cataloging them. He stepped out of the closet, looking toward the end of the hallway before turning his attention back to Ben.

"My apartment isn't very big, so there's not a whole lot to clean or anything and I take care of a lot of it myself anyways, so.. just do what you think you should do."

The android flashed him a charismatic smile-- one that all of them were programmed with from the start. One that looked fake if a human wore it. Hell, it looked fake on anything, alive or not. "Okay, Ben." He responded cheerily before heading into the kitchen to presumably go find something to do.

Benjamin sighed as he watched it walk off, rubbing the back of his head, running his hand down the side of the shaved end of his short, curly hair. He simply turned on his heel, and ducked into his room. He fell backward onto his bed, the absence of light in his room a welcome "sight" for his sore eyes. He pinched the bridge of his nose, dragging his palm down his face. He couldn't believe he'd just done that. No turning back now, he supposed. He knew that it wouldn't do any harm, logically, but a deeper part of him insisted over and over that just turning it on would.. change something. In him, in his life? He wasn't sure.

He just felt that _something_ was different.

"Well.. here we go." He mumbled underneath a sigh. 

\---------------------------------------------------------

Friday, September 21st, 2035. 4:53 PM.

 

What was he going to do with an android?

The question had been running erratic circles inside his head as he drove himself home from the news station, actually dreading being off of work because now he could no longer use his job as an excuse to not address the burning questions in his mind. Did he even need an android? Would it make a difference? What would it actually help? How would he know? It had only been a few months since his mother.. died, and he was more stressed than he had ever been in his life. He was normally alone in his tiny apartment, Claudia being his only friend and current roommate. But she was dealing with her own issues, and he hated making her feel involved in his own problems. He loved her, but she wasn't the best at managing mental health. So, his thought process led him to think that maybe alleviating some menial duties from his routine would help him focus on his mental well-being, he thought. So he rebooted the old android he'd been given when he was younger. And now, it had been doing just what he thought it would do: moving from room to room picking up any stray trash or straightening pillows, dusting, etcetera. He hated the sight initially, but he knew he'd grow over that. He couldn't hate androids forever; they were as much a part of his world as he was. A consequence of living. In the United States, anyways.. but androids always brought up bad memories. He glanced up from his journal where he'd been cataloging his thoughts from the day, watching the brunette-haired man in his apartment move swiftly from his room carrying a few empty cups. No- not man. Android. Robot. Damn, those things looked so realistic. He was just glad that it hadn't resembled anyone he knew. He looked back down at his journal, tapping his pencil idly on the edge of the thin book, trying to recall what he had last been writing about when   
  
Ben was pulled from his thoughts as he heard the front door to his apartment opened, the familiar jingle of his roommate's set of keys sounding faintly from the tiny foyer. What followed, however, was a shocked gasp that followed the phrase, "Hello, who are you?" Shit. He forgot to tell Alex about Claudia. He quickly got up from his desk and hurried down the hallway to meet Claudia himself, who was staring at Alex with a perplexed expression on her freckled face.  
  
Claudia glanced at Ben when he entered the living room, raising a brow at him, her hand settling on her hip. "Damn, you actually got him out of the closet. At first I didn't even recognize him! How longs it been since you looked at him last? A year, two?"  
  
Ben gave her a look of exasperation. "8 months, Kitty. And, to my credit, it's not like we need an android for any reason except to maybe keep your room clean since you won't do it yourself," he sassed back.   
  
Claudia didn't even bat an eye at his retort as she set her bags down on the counter, "That's just part of the creative process, Ben. You should know, you own a camera."  
  
"Yeah, a digital camera, for this exact reason. I can't function in a mess like that."  
  
"Well you don't have to," she shot back, "it's my room, I pay rent. Let me do what I want with it."  
  
Alex piped up in the brief interlude between their bickering, not wanting to interrupt them out of sheer politeness, "Excuse me, Ben. Who is this woman, and why is she in your apartment?" The both of them turned to look at Alex, Ben glancing to Claudia as if she was going to answer. She pursed her lips and gave him a look that said 'My name isn't Ben.' Ben sighed slightly, ultimately realizing their argument was over and he hadn't won this time.  
  
He answered, "Alex, this is Claudia. She's my roommate and she lives here too. She just got back from a trip to Charolette."  
  
"And you're not supposed to mess with the stuff in Claudia's room unless it belongs in the kitchen," Claudia chimed in.  
  
Ben sighed exasperatedly. "Yeah, sure. That too. Anyways, is there anything else you need, Alex?"  
  
Alex shook his head, but held up his hand for a moment, "No- ...actually, yes. What would you like me to do with the personal items in your room, Benjamin?"  
  
Claudia turned her attention from the fridge, where she was grabbing a can of soda, raising a brow at Ben. "Oooh. What kind of personal items?" She jeered.  
  
Ben could not be less amused. "Oh, just my pretty pink diary where I write about all the cute boys I have crushes on in middle school."  
  
Claudia scoffed, crossing her arms, soda in one hand. She took a sip of the fizzy, carbonated beverage as he spoke. "Middle school? You and I both know you only had a thing for high schoolers. And, your journal is black, princess. You showed me it, remember?"  
  
"Yeah, you're right. That entire statement was sarcasm."  
  
"When is anything you say not sarcastic?"  
  
While they continued to banter, Alex was just sitting there waiting patiently. Though, he couldn't help but wonder if they were always like this, his curiosity growing. Logic would dictate yes, seeing as the only interaction between them that he had observed consisted of sarcastic remarks and witty banter, but even so, he wondered. If he didn't know better, he'd think that they were siblings. They even looked similar, both of them donning warm, brown skin and dark hair in tight, curly rivulets. The only real difference was that Claudia's eyes were dark brown and her face was soft and round, and Benjamin's eyes were a stark light gray that drew attention to the intense gaze he held at all times, while his rather angular features complimented the intensity. He'd seen Benjamin focused the day prior, the young man hunched over his laptop, fingers darting from key to key as he expertly composed the news articles and scripts for the week. His angular brows constantly furrowed, full lips turned downward out of what he assumed to be habit. If he was subjectively thinking, he'd say he enjoyed simply watching Benjamin work, but he hadn't lingered too long, as he was only in the room briefly to gather a few empty coffee mugs.  
  
Eventually, Ben answered Alex's question. "Anyways.. Uh, just leave it to me. I don't want anything to be misplaced; I'd never find it then."  
  
"Okay, Ben." Alex said, his LED spinning blue for a moment, Dinner will be served at about 6:00 pm, as well. Is there anything you'd like in particular?"  
  
"Surprise me."   
  
\---------------------------------------------------------  
  
Friday, September 21st, 2035. 3:31 AM.  
  
Ben lay awake in his bed, staring up at the muted gray ceiling. Though his body was stationary, his mind was regrettably active, jumping hurdles as it ran what seemed to be an endless track. His brain leaped from thought to thought, never lingering for too long on just a single one, but all of them shared a common theme. His parents; moreso his father than his mother. He could barely remember a day when his dad wasn't away. Couldn't remember the sound of his voice, and if not for the pictures he kept, he doubted he'd remember the man's face. He was almost a stranger. He knew why his dad left; work was more important than family. It wasn't a lack of care, he knew that now. It was a case of keeping them alive and keeping them safe. When he was younger, his child self doubted whether or not his dad was even worthy of being a dad. He was never around, almost never called, almost never talked. But on the off chance when he would finally come home, they would act like nothing was wrong. Like his mom didn't cry for hours on end some nights, like he wasn't teased or bullied for having an absent father in a town full of nuclear families. Like they were a normal family, with normal parents who had normal jobs, and a normal kid. But when his dad would disappear the morning after without so much as a note on the fridge bidding them farewell, everything would return to the way it had been before he had arrived, almost like he had never been there in the first place.   
  
Until he just.. didn't come back. Not even in an urn, or a coffin. Or even as a fucking letter.  
  
There was one day when there was just nothing from that point on. Benjamin couldn't pinpoint it, but he knew it existed. The day his dad died. There was no grave, no sign that he had existed besides his widowed wife and lonely son. But his mother believed she knew what happened, and he believed what she thought. His father had worked for CyberLife, both of them knew that, but neither of them knew what he did for them. His mother's guess was that he somehow got on the company's bad side, and was swiftly... gotten rid of. After all, a small family in North Carolina would never tackle the world's richest company with a lawsuit accusing them with murder when they couldn't even prove his father was dead in the first place. So.. they didn't try. They mourned him on their own, slowly, but not as a family anymore. His mother drank. He just trudged his way through primary education and then.. gave up. He had enough to last off of with what his father brought home from work for them, and his mother had the rest of it stored away in a joint account anyways. What used to be a joint account. He had no issues applying for a job in his small town, as there weren't many other people to fill what needed to be done, especially not someone who had the knowledge of the most recent generation. He took up android repair at first, seeing as it was similar to what he did in his free time; tinker with mechanical objects. He worked out of his father's old garage, learning the ropes from what was essentially a few articles, some video tutorials, and what knowledge he already had. It wasn't hard to fix them; they were constructed simply, but the thing that made them special was what they were constructed from. The kind of technology CyberLife plugged into their walking, talking Rumbas was far more advanced than any he knew existed, even before he was born. He couldn't imagine how Elijah Kamski, at only 16, made the first one. At the time, he was 18 and he had barely even figured out how the hell to  _fix them_ , much less make his own from what resources Kamski had back then. Even with the knowledge the world now held, he was doubtful that anyone would make anything quite so revolutionary.   
  
The thought of androids brought Alex back into his mind. He knew that Alex wasn't human, but.. it was hard not to humanize him. He had behaviors that emulated humans; simulated breathing, blinking, and his tonation even changed as he spoke. If not for the LED on his temple, he'd pass for human easily. The idea was slightly unnerving. Ben had even gave him a set of his own clothing to wear, since he hated how the CyberLife uniform they were outfitted with looked. Claudia had commented on his choice of clothes for the android, but he simply responded saying that Alex looked more appealing and less artificial than before. The dark green turtleneck and jeans he'd given to the android suited him just fine, he had defended. The oddly defensive nature of his statement had earned a perturbed glare from Claudia, which quickly shut him up, ending the conversation. He didn't want to admit it, but he was growing attached to the android. After all, Alex was kind of the last part of his dad he ever got. An odd, work related part of him, but a part of him nonetheless. Every time he saw Alex, he was reminded that his dad still cared.. even if he had never been around to show it. His thoughts were briefly interrupted as the door to his room opened silently, a bit of dim light filtering in as Alex entered.  
  
Benjamin sat up, his eyes finding the android's bright blue LED, and then his eyes. Alex approached his bed, standing about a foot away, a glass of water in his hand, and a white tablet in the other.  
  
"Good evening, Benjamin. I noticed you were having trouble sleeping, so I brought you some medication. Will melatonin work?"  
  
Ben stared up at him, his brows furrowed. He'd blinked a few times, a hand reaching up to rub his temples before he looked back up to the android and nodded. "Yes.. yeah, thanks. I guess it is pretty late.. what time is it exactly?"  
  
Alex set the glass of water and pill on Ben's bedside table, "It is 3:46 AM." He answered. Alex was silent for a moment as he watched Benjamin place the tablet in his mouth and take a generous sip of water, until he decided to pull the swivel chair at Ben's desk over so he could sit. He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. "If you don't mind me asking, Ben, what is it that has kept you up so late?"  
  
Ben sighed, laying back on his pillow. He didn't even consider that he wasn't talking to a human being; he needed to outlet somehow. Writing in his journal hadn't worked this time. But.. maybe Claudia would be open to listening later. It wasn't like this android could  _empathize_ with him or anything. "It's.. a lot. I'm just thinking too much. Don't worry about it." He shook his head, shutting his eyes and laying his forearm over them. Alex nodded and stood up again, returning the chair to it's position before turning and heading out the door. Just before Alex left, Benjamin spoke up again.   
  
"Thanks, Alex."  
  
Alex's lips upturned in a small smile as he said "You're welcome, Benjamin," as he closed the door with a quiet click.  
  
And Ben slept.

**Author's Note:**

> Anyways, this was kind of a test run to see how well I could write this idea and how it would be received. If you'd like more, please! comment! it will let me know I have people who are actually going to read this!! Or don't, if you don't want to see more. Up to you guys! Let me know what I do well and what I need to improve on, please!
> 
> Anyways, till next time. Chapter 2 will hopefully be out soon.  
> Cheers!


End file.
